House A by Walter&Walter

06/03/18

If you could live in any kind of house what would it look like? I ask myself this from time to time, the truth is I like so many different styles of architecture and I feel different buildings suit different landscapes. So, for me, it would really depend on where in the world I was living. If it was Australia then it would have to be a building that was modern and minimal.

If I didn’t already know that House A by Walter&Walter was situated in Melbourne there’s something about the architecture that definitely suggests it. Perhaps it’s the rough sawn timber cladding, maybe it’s the single story build or the minimal box-like structure. Modern Australian architecture has certainly embraced minimalism.

Inside House A there’s a strong Japanese influence to the design. There’s the use of large glass window panes at the back of the property that bring the outside in and flood the building with light. There’s also the enclosed garden a popular feature in many Japanese homes and the bold use of beautiful timber throughout. The staircase is a masterpiece with its graphic lines and tonal mix of wood. The whole property is a homage to this versatile material. Even though it might appear quite an open house it is actually quite private, the front is predominantly timber clad, except for the entrance, and the back is largely glass windows and doors leading onto the garden.

House A was designed by award-winning architect Andrew Walter, the firm received an award for the architecture in the 2017 Victorian Architecture Awards for Residential Architecture.